We’ve got the looks, that’s a given—not many cities are blessed with Vancouver’s combination of ocean, mountains, parks, and city scape. We also have some of the best restaurants in the world.

So what could be better than a marriage of the two, dining on delicious food with a drop-dead gorgeous backdrop enhancing every bite?

What’s better than a Vancouver restaurant with a view?

True, most restaurants with a view can be pricey, but, since this is the Pacific Northwest, that doesn’t necessarily mean fancy. (They’re as fancy as you want them to be.) You can certainly go in your walking-around-town clothes, which is nice, since these restaurants are the perfect ending to a day spent shopping on Robson, exploring Granville Island, playing in the park or strolling on the beach.

Situated atop Queen Elizabeth Park at the highest point in Vancouver, Seasons in the Park is not only one of our finest restaurants for West Coast cuisine, it also has a peerless, panoramic view of downtown Vancouver and the northern mountains.

This divine seafood restaurant is right on Kits Beach, offering views of the ocean and western mountains from every table. Does it go without saying that the view is especially spectacular at sunset? (Just remember to bring sunglasses on really bright days!)

There are two revolving restaurants in Vancouver: Cloud 9 and Top of Vancouver at the Harbour Centre. Is the view better from the (taller) Top of Vancouver? Maybe. But the food, service and swinging-piano-bar ambiance of Cloud 9 make it tops to me. (Plus, unlike Top of Vancouver, you can have drinks-only—and still get the table by the window—at Cloud 9.)

The epitome of the “Vancouver experience”—and I don’t just mean the award-winning Pacific Northwest cuisine—Raincity Grill has the primo location on English Bay Beach, which means that, if you’re lucky enough to get a patio table, you get views of English Bay, Vancouver’s southwestern coastline, mountains, and the western islands.

Granville Island is the ideal distance from downtown to offer intimate city views that are particularly stunning at night. And, assuming you haven’t filled up on goodies from the market, there’s no better night-time spot to enjoy those views than Bridges Restaurant. If the weather is good, sit outside under the iconic yellow umbrellas!

Honourable mention: The Observatory at Grouse Mountain. Though not technically in Vancouver, the Observatory has stunning views that are not to be missed. If you’re on Grouse Mountain, at least pop in for dessert.

Inside Vancouver is a multi-author blog, written by Vancouverites about Vancouver. Our goal is to give an insider’s view of Vancouver, to provide information, stories and opinions from the locals’ perspective about this great city.